U.S. sanctions Hemedti’s younger brother for arms procurement

WASHINGTON – The United States has imposed sanctions on Al-Goney Hamdan Daglo, the youngest brother of Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Al-Goney has been added to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) list.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department announced that the sanctions target Al-Goney for procuring weapons intended to sustain the ongoing civil war in Sudan and for facilitating RSF assaults on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State.

The RSF has been engaged in a relentless offensive to capture the city from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

“The United States is today sanctioning a senior leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa (Algoney), for his involvement in RSF efforts to procure weapons and other military materiel that have enabled the RSF’s ongoing operations in Sudan, including its assault on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur,” the statement read.

The U.S. government accused Al-Goney of exacerbating what it described as brutal RSF atrocities against civilians. The latest sanctions are part of broader U.S. efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the suffering of the Sudanese people.

“Algoney’s actions have fueled the war and brutal RSF atrocities against civilians, which have included war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing.  Rather than heed warnings from the United States and other partners, the RSF and its allied militia have continued to commit atrocities, including those involving sexual violence and ethnically targeted attacks on non-Arab groups,” the statement said.

“The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF has caused immense devastation, with tens of thousands of dead and more than 11 million total displaced, both internally and externally.  The Sudanese people demand and deserve peace and justice and a return to civilian government.

“Today’s action is part of our continued efforts to promote accountability for those responsible for fueling this conflict.  The United States will continue to use the tools at its disposal to support a peace process and impose cost on those perpetuating the conflict,” it concluded.

Individuals and entities designated as SDNs have their assets blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

The Sudanese civil war, which began in April 2023, has entered its second year, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties, displacing over 10 million people, and devastating the national economy.

Both conflicting parties have shown little willingness to pursue peace, each blaming the other for the stalled negotiations. Efforts by regional and international actors, including the U.S., have yielded no success.